Senegal bans full-face veil amidst growing Boko Haram threats

The Senegalese government has banned women from wearing the full-face Islamic veil in public in an attempt to curb terrorism.

The action follows the arrest of four imams accused of having ties to Boko Haram terrorist group.

The move announced on Tuesday, November 17, by Interior Minister Abdoulaye Daouda, prohibits women from wearing burqas where only their eyes can be seen. Daouda says the law is not anti-Islamic as Senegal is a Muslim majority nation instead he says it's a question of national security.

Boko Haram has used suicide bombers hiding their explosives beneath loose clothing to carry out scores of attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria. An estimated 92% of Senegal’s population is Muslim. Although the country has not suffered a terrorist attack recently, authorities are concerned that the Islamic militant group Boko Haram may be trying to extend its range.